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Retirement Plan And Other Post-Retirement Benefits
 6 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Compensation and Retirement Disclosure [Abstract]  
Retirement Plan and Other Post-Retirement Benefits
Retirement Plan and Other Post-Retirement Benefits
 
Components of Net Periodic Benefit Cost (in thousands):
 
 
Retirement Plan
 
Other Post-Retirement Benefits
Three Months Ended March 31,
2015
2014
 
2015
2014





 




Service Cost
$
3,012

$
2,997

 
$
673

$
735

Interest Cost
10,304

10,893

 
4,821

5,327

Expected Return on Plan Assets
(14,904
)
(14,993
)
 
(8,522
)
(9,356
)
Amortization of Prior Service Cost (Credit)
46

52

 
(478
)
(534
)
Amortization of Losses
9,032

9,002

 
1,037

661

Net Amortization and Deferral for Regulatory Purposes (Including Volumetric Adjustments) (1)
7,055

8,557

 
7,396

7,928






 




Net Periodic Benefit Cost
$
14,545

$
16,508

 
$
4,927

$
4,761

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Retirement Plan
 
Other Post-Retirement Benefits
Six Months Ended March 31,
2015
2014
 
2015
2014
 
 
 
 
 
 
Service Cost
$
6,024

$
5,993

 
$
1,346

$
1,469

Interest Cost
20,608

21,787

 
9,642

10,654

Expected Return on Plan Assets
(29,808
)
(29,986
)
 
(17,044
)
(18,712
)
Amortization of Prior Service Cost (Credit)
92

105

 
(956
)
(1,069
)
Amortization of Losses
18,065

18,003

 
2,074

1,323

Net Amortization and Deferral for Regulatory Purposes (Including Volumetric Adjustments) (1)
8,346

10,135

 
12,316

13,988

 
 
 
 
 
 
Net Periodic Benefit Cost
$
23,327

$
26,037

 
$
7,378

$
7,653

 
 
 
 
 
 
(1) 
The Company’s policy is to record retirement plan and other post-retirement benefit costs in the Utility segment on a volumetric basis to reflect the fact that the Utility segment experiences higher throughput of natural gas in the winter months and lower throughput of natural gas in the summer months.
 
Employer Contributions.    During the six months ended March 31, 2015, the Company contributed $18.0 million to its tax-qualified, noncontributory defined-benefit retirement plan (Retirement Plan) and $1.5 million to its VEBA trusts and 401(h) accounts for its other post-retirement benefits.  In the remainder of 2015, the Company expects its contributions to the Retirement Plan to be in the range of zero to $2.0 million.  In the remainder of 2015, the Company expects to contribute approximately $0.5 million to its VEBA trusts and 401(h) accounts.